Are We All We Are
by FreedomWriter15
Summary: It takes place after Life Starts Now. Paul is now taking care of Andreas' baby after her accident and trouble is brewing. Andreas' grandparents step in after they discover Andreas baby is being raised by Paul instead of her psychologically stressed mother. Will Paul be able to keep strong while waiting for his beauty to wake up?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! **

_Paul_

"Hey there, baby," I murmur as I pick up the three month old. _She's gotten so big babe, you'd be all over her little fat legs, _I think. She quietly makes a noise from the abrupt motion but calms down once she feels me and my heat. Even though I run around shirtless part of the time, I never really wear one now because Emily told me that skin to skin contact was good for the baby, that she would feel more comfortable.

"Wanna go see momma today?" I ask. Her little eyes look up at me in wonder and she starts to pat my tribal tattoo. Picking up her diaper bag, I grab my keys and make sure I have enough formula for her.

Andrea's mom is a wreck. After what happened to Andrea, she lost it. She started screaming in the hallway and throwing the complimentary magazines and books the hospital had. After seeing her like that, I almost grabbed Hannah and took her with me, but Charlie Swan, the chief of police in Forks, stepped in and said he'd watch them. Even though the baby isn't biologically mine, I still want to be there for her as her father.

I haven't been able to name her, not without Andrea having a say in it. I substituted her name for Baby, or as Andrea used to call her, Bug. _Your little Bug is precious, Andrea. Rosalie keeps trying to get me to agree on her baby sitting every time I have to go patrol or work, but I just can't. I know you would want me to put aside our differences, but it's hard, babe._

Locking all the doors, I walk over to the new black Silverado truck that I got. It was big and I felt like it would keep my baby girls safe. I also got the top of the line baby car carriage for Bug. I wanted to keep her as safe as possible.

I don't know what I'm going to do after Andrea awakes and has to go back to her house with Bug. My house will feel so empty. I wanted Andrea here with me, but she is too young and does not need to live here just yet. I want to wait until after she graduates… If she graduates. After everything with Leslie, Jared said she was failing almost all of her classes, and the ones she wasn't, she was passing by the skin on her teeth. Maybe I can suggest the idea of her getting her GED? That way she can just have it done with. I'd wait until she turned 18 to propose to her, but that way it'd be easier for her to take care of Bug.

We pulled up to the hospital with the rain lightly tapping the windows. I popped out of the drivers side and went to the back seat where Baby was secured. I pulled up the shield and put a blanket over the part that wasn't covered. I gently carried Bug to the small hospital. I went up towards to the front desk only to sneer at who was there.

His blonde hair was too perfect, along with his too pale skin.

"Paul," he murmured, head slightly bowed.

"_Cullen_," I snarled. Bug made a noise so I lifted the blanket to check on her. She was okay, just slightly startled by my voice.

"Andrea has shown improvement. She's starting to show reactions to some of the daily checkups now."

I merely nodded. _Are you really doing better? I miss you so much, Andrea. I feel lost._

"She also has visitors. I thought I'd give you the heads up."

I lifted a brow. _Who would be visiting? Andrea's mother hasn't shown up at all since this has happened._

I walked toward Andrea room and an unfamiliar scent invaded my nose.

A tall, large man stood over Andrea, next to him, a short, plump woman whose hair seemed to be falling out slightly from over dying.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

They both turn around, startled by my intrusion.

"Hello, I'm Gavin Fett, and this is my wife, Sylvia. We're Andrea's grandparents. We were finally able to get here after we heard what happened to Andrea."

"It's been three months." I stated, obviously confused. How far away did they live?

"What, but Georgia just told us last week?" Sylvia said, "How can that be?"

"I don't know. I haven't had contact with her since this happened." I set down Bug on the chair against the wall.

That's when they finally seemed to notice her.

"Is that Andrea's baby?" Gavin asked.

"Yes. Georgia… freaked out when Andrea died. They obviously brought her back, but, Georgia couldn't handle all of this. Charlie Swan, the chief of police in Forks, has been taking care of her and Hannah. I said I'd take care of her until Andrea woke up and was home."

"She _died_?!" Gavin yelled.

Bug started to cry a little and I picked her up out of her carrier. I started to rock her and she settled. "Yes. She was gone for thirteen minutes. They brought her back, though."

"So you decided to take care of the baby, then?" His Minnesotan accent really stuck out when he said the word "then".

"Yes. She and I have been together for a while and I care deeply for her. We got together about the same time the baby started to show."

"Well, that's nice of you," Sylvia said.

"Thank you."

"I'm afraid we never got your name?" Gavin asked.

"Paul. Paul Long."

"Is it hard for you to take care of the baby, Paul?"

I lifted a brow. "Of course it's hard. Babies were never meant to be an easy task."

"So you never feel awkward with her? Even though she isn't yours?"

"Where are you getting with this exactly?"

"Well, considering what we have heard here today and how long Andrea and Georgia have been like they have, maybe we should have the baby."

I gripped Bug slightly tighter and quit my rocking. "I am sorry sir, but there is no way in hell I am letting that happen." _I won't let them take Bug away, Andrea. I swear they will never take her._

"Well, we'll see about that."

**I own nothing. All characters and such and such belong to Stephenie Meyer.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Dos! So sorry about how long this has been taking. I just recently broke up with my boyfriend and high school is kinda there still, I'm just now finishing up my senior year, and I have a choir contest now coming up along with some archery tournaments. I got third place at one competition, second at another, and I just got first at our Regional shoot, so I've been busy also mentoring the younger archers, so I am finally finding time now, because SNOW DAY! Thank you God!**

**Alright, enough rambling.**

"Can they do this, Charlie?" I called Charlie later after Andrea's grandparents made their threat clear, that they were going to try to take Baby away.

He sighed, "They can. You're not the biological father and your names not on the birth certificate, Leslies is. You have no parental rights so they can take the baby away. The only reason you have the baby now is because DHS hasn't caught wind of it yet. If Andrea's grandparents do this, you may be charged for kidnapping."

"But Andrea's mother, can't she explain the situation."

"Andrea's mother is in a catatonic state at the moment. Hannah is panicked every second she sees her mother fade out of conversations and fall asleep. She really lost it when Andrea almost died Paul." Charlie had been taking care of Andrea's mom ever since the accident and Charlie has started to show signs that he may like Andrea's mother more than he will let on. I've heard his heart pick up when he looks at her too long and when he shows signs of comfort when things get too hard for her.

"I know, I know. How is Hannah?"

"She's okay. School starts tomorrow for her."

"What grade is she again?"

"First grade. You missed open house, it was two nights ago." His voice told me he was upset that I had missed it. Hannah had a little crush on me and wanted me so badly to go to open house. I had too, it would have been good to see her classroom and meet her teacher.

"I know and I regret not being able to go. I begged Sam to let me off, but he wouldn't budge. Believe me I tried so hard Charlie, but he said I had to do all the paperwork for this job that we're doing." Charlie didn't know about the wolves so I had to use the construction work as an excuse.

"How did you take care of Bug then?" His voice told me he wasn't buying any of this.

"I had to pay off Emily to watch Bug."

He grunted, "You going to come over tonight? I'm having Billy fry some fish. I also need some help with Bella's' room. She'll be here in a week and I still need help picking colors out. Girls like purple right? I know Bella's not a pink kind of girl but maybe purple," he rambled.

"Yeah, I'll stop by tonight." As if at that moment, Bug could be heard over the baby monitor. "Charlie, I gotta go, Bugs needing to be fed I think." I got up and started to make my way to the back room, Bugs room.

"Alright, by Paul."

"See ya later, Charlie."

I flipped my phone shut and saw bug kicking her little legs up in the air, big tears rolling down her cheeks, but she quieted slightly as I approached.

"What's wrong, Bug? What's wrong?" I picked her up and kissed the top of her forehead. She started to put her hand in her mouth and suck on it, slobbering her whole hand before patting my cheek with it. I pretended to gobble up her cheek and neck, causing her to giggle.

"What do you want for food, Bug? Milk or milk?" She blew raspberries and I acted as though she was speaking English, "Milk it is! I would go with that, too. That sounds really good."

She continued to gnaw on her hand as I prepared her meal. _She is so precious Andrea. You would love her and she would love you. Even though you are afraid because of the scar, you will always be beautiful. You would be the perfect mother._

"Georgia, how are you?" I smile as I walk up the stairs to her house, Hannah bouncing up and down at the sight of me and Bug.

She lifted up a corner of her mouth in an attempt of a smile. "I am okay Paul, how are you and- and the baby?"

I look down at Bug and see her gnawing on her hand again. Looking back up to Georgia, I smile, "We're really good."

"Paul! Paul Paul!" A small child with curly blonde hair runs up and wraps her arms around one of my denim covered legs. I decided to wear a nice dress shirt and jeans along with a pair of my newest boots.

"Hey Hannah! How are you?" I lean down and hug her awkwardly while still holding Bug.

"Good! I missed you Paul! Like this much!" She cried excitedly as she spread her arms out as wide as she could.

"That's a lot! I should visit you more often, huh?"

She only giggled and ran off to play with her toys. _Well there goes that conversation._

"Georgia, I just wanted to let you know that Andrea is still not responding to the tests yet, but I have confidence that she will soon."

She gives me a weak, strained smile. "Thank you, Paul." She lets me in and that's when I smell it, hair dye.

"Oh, Paul, I didn't realize you were coming over." Sylvia is set on the couch and has a Christian channel while Garrett is on a recliner and has the latest newspaper in his hands. His eyes narrowed and he quickly lifted the paper back up to where it covered his whole face.

"Yeah, I come over whenever I can. I want Hannah to be around her niece and Georgia around her granddaughter."

"Oh, how considerate of you, Paul. Say, do you think I can hold the baby for a bit?"

I was hesitant. _I don't want her to try and run with our baby, Andrea. _"Sure. I'll see if Georgia needs help with anything."

"I think Charlie's got that all done." Her plump body waddled over to me and grabbed Bug out of my hands.

"Well, you can never have too much help."

"Stay here Paul, I got some questions." _Dammit._

"Okay Garrett." I sat in the love seat, "What's up?"

"How long have you known my granddaughter?"

"I've known Andrea since we were kids. I will admit though, we didn't get along. I wasn't a good kid, but I managed to turn my life around over the past few years and I now realize what a kind, gentle, loving person Andrea is."

"Mm-hmm."

"I care about Andrea, and her child. They are both very dear to me."

"I know you may think that. But Andrea needs stability. She can't depend on some punk that lives off of government money."

I stood up. "You shut your mouth you dirty pale face!" I felt my wolf start to come out. The man in me wanted to try and keep peace, but the beast wanted to slay the threats.

"Hey Paul! Come help out!" Charlie was a smart man to pull me away.

I turn my back to the old fart, still fuming. Charlie is holding plates in one hand and silver ware in another. I grab the plates and set them out while he lays the forks next to them.

"That was stupid. You ought to know better. Whatever you say and go can and will be held against you in the court of law. If you really want to keep Bug, keep it calm or you'll lose that little girl."


End file.
